This invention pertains to shelf dividers, and more particularly relates to adjustable shelf dividers.
In retail display of merchandise, it is well-known to use long shelves to display many different articles of merchandise. In order to adequately separate this merchandise, shelf dividers are used to define specific areas having discreet boundaries for each particular product. Typically, retail shelves have a plurality of regularly spaced apertures in their support surface. Accordingly, shelf dividers may be attached at any point along the shelf by way of these apertures, thereby defining discreet areas for each product as needed.
This retail shelving also includes many variations. More particularly, such shelves have different depths. Thus, a retailer must utilize many different divider sizes to accommodate all of their shelves in the store. This requires a retailer to purchase a large number of dividers in each discrete size, many of which may not be used for any given length of time depending on the type of merchandise being displayed. Accordingly, there exists a need to provide an adjustable shelf divider which accommodates different shelf depths.
It is a general aim of the present invention to provide an adjustable shelf divider that accommodates shelving of different depths. In furtherance of this aim, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable shelf divider that is easy to use and behaves much like prior fixed length dividers. Further, it is also an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable shelf divider that maintains a slim configuration and does not utilize any more shelf space than is necessary.
One embodiment of the invention provides an adjustable divider assembly generally comprising a front divider and a rear divider. The front divider comprises a front frame, a plurality of front posts, and a front clip. The front frame includes two vertically spaced horizontally extending members. The plurality of front posts are vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members. The rear divider comprises a rear frame, a plurality of rear posts, and a rear clip. The rear frame includes two vertically spaced horizontally extending members. The plurality of rear posts are vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members. The front and rear dividers are selectively adjustable relative to each other and are connected to each other by way of the front and rear clips. The front clip has a vertically oriented slot that is sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of rear posts, while the rear clip also has a vertically oriented slot that is sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of front posts.
According to more detailed aspects of this embodiment, the front clip is attached to front posts, and the rear clip is attached to rear posts. The vertical opening of the front clip faces forwardly and the vertical opening of the rear clip faces rearwardly. Moving the front and rear dividers away from each other connects the front and rear dividers by way of the front and rear clips, while moving the front and rear dividers towards each other disconnects the front and rear dividers for relative adjustment. Preferably, the horizontally extending members of the front frame are vertically spaced a distance greater than the horizontally extending members of the rear frame are vertically spaced, whereby the front divider telescopically receives the rear divider. Also preferable, the front frame and the rear frame are aligned in a common plane when the front and rear dividers are connected to provide a slim shelf divider assembly having the same thickness as prior non-adjustable shelf dividers.
According to another embodiment of the invention, an adjustable divider assembly is provided for a shelf having regularly spaced mounting apertures. The adjustable divider assembly generally comprises a first divider having a first frame and a plurality of vertically oriented first posts connected to a side of the first frame. A second divider has a second frame and a plurality of vertically oriented second posts connected to a side of the second frame. The second frame is sized to be received within the first frame for telescopic adjustment of the first and second dividers relative to each other. Finally, the first and second frames are aligned in a common plane when the front and rear dividers are connected. Further, the plurality of front posts and the plurality of rear posts are aligned in a common plane when the front and rear dividers are connected to provide a thin divider.
According to more detailed aspects of this embodiment, a first clip is attached to the first divider and a second clip is attached to the second divider. The first clip has a vertically oriented slot positioned to selectively receive one of the plurality of second posts, and the second clip has a vertically oriented slot positioned to selectively receive one of the plurality of first posts. Preferably, the first and second clips are vertically spaced apart, and the first clip is positioned adjacent an end of the first divider that receives the second divider, while the second clip is positioned adjacent an end of the second divider that enters the first divider. It is also preferable for the first clip to be attached on a first side of the first divider and the second clip to be attached on a second side of the second divider, the second side opposing the first side. The first and second clips preferably include a generally U-shaped hook member defining the vertically oriented slots. The first and second clips are of a resilient material, and the hook members define a throat to the vertically oriented slots, the throat sized smaller than a diameter of the first and second posts to provide a snap-fit.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, an adjustable divider assembly is provided for a shelf having regularly spaced mounting apertures. The adjustable divider assembly generally comprises first and second dividers. The first divider has a first wire frame and a plurality of first posts connected to the first wire frame. The first wire frame forms a generally rectangular shape having an open side. The second divider has a second wire frame, and a plurality of second posts are connected to the second wire frame. The second wire frame forms a generally rectangular shape sized to be received within the first wire frame via the open side. Accordingly, the first and second dividers are telescopically oriented and adjustable relative to one another. A first bracket is attached to a bottom edge of the first wire frame and a second bracket attached to a bottom edge of the second wire frame. The first and second brackets each have a prong sized to extend through an aperture in the shelf to connect the first and second dividers to the shelf. The bottom edge of the second wire frame is split into first and second portions adjustable relative to each other to adjust the relative position of the first and second brackets for securely mounting the divider assembly to the shelf. Preferably, the first portion of the bottom edge is spaced vertically below the second portion of the bottom edge.